Eyeglass-case.



PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

A. L. MARINER.

EYEGLASS- GASE APPLIOATION FILED IEBflB, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFFTEE.

ABBOTT L. MARINER, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO SAMUEL W. MARVIN AND ONE-FOURTH TO HARRY O. WHITTEMORE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHU- SETTS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO CHARLES G. WELLS, OF JAMAICA PLAIV, MASSACHUSETTS.

EYE GLASS-CASE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed February 18. 1905. Serial No- 246,295.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABBOTT L. MARINER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Eyeglass-Cases, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to an eye-glass or spectacle case and has for its object to provide a case having a cover which is controlled in its movement by a cam as will be described, whereby the said cover may be opened and closed smoothly and gently and without sudden snap or noise.

The cam referred to acts in opposition to a spring, which may and preferably will constitute the pintle for the cover which ishinged to the body portion of the case, the said pintle having a portion intermediate its ends forced out of axial alinement by the said cam to impart to said pintle the functions of a spring. The cam is preferably so shaped as to retain control of the cover during substantially its entire movement, and to exert its minimum action on the spring pintle when the cover is in its closed position, thereby placing the cover in its closed position substantially under the control of the spring, the force of which is such as to hold the cover firmly in its closed position until positively moved. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claim at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a case embodying this invention, and in its closed position. Fig. 2, a plan view of the case shown in Fig. 1 in its opened position. Fig. 3, a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale on the line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4, a transverse section on an enlarged scale on the line 44, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, a similar section to Fig. 4:, with the cover in its closed position.

Referring to the drawing, a represents one member of the case which may be designated the body portion, and b, the cooperating member, which may be termed the cover. These parts may be made of any suitable material, .but preferably of sheet metal.

The body portion a is provided on its rear side or edge with lugs or ears 0 and the cover 1 act to bend or force the pintle intermediate its ends out of axial alinement when the cover is in its closed or open position, thereby firmly holding said cover in its closed or opened position until positively moved. The cooperating devices referred to, may be made as herein shown, one of which is made in the form of a cam-shaped lug or ear h attached to or forming part of the cover 6 and which encircles the pintle c intermediate its ends and preferably near the longitudinal center of the same, and the other of which is made as a projection 'i attached to or forming part of the body portion a and extended into the path of movement of said cam, so that when the cover is turned in the act of opening or closing the same, the central portion of the pintle will be forced out of axial alinement with the end portions of the same and thereby impart to the wire pintle the function of a spring hinge which is permitted by a slight springing backward of the center portion of the cover. The cam h is represented as attached to the cover and the projection '5 as attached to the body portion a of the case, but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the relation of parts may be reversed.

The cam h is so shaped that when the cover is in its closed position shown in Fig. 5, the said cam exerts no pressure upon the spring pintle, and at such time the cover is under the influence of the spring alone which serves to firmly hold the cover in its closed position yet permits it to be opened with the east possible force on the part of the operator. I/Vhen the cover is moved from its closed position shown in Fig. 5, into its open position shown in Fig. 4, and vice versa, the cam acting against the projection forces the spring pintle out of axial alinement, thereby creating a spring pressure which causes the cam to engage the projection with suflicient force to place the cover under the control of the cam, which permits the cover to be opened and closed smoothly and without noise or jar.

I prefer to keep the cam in effective engagement with its cooperating projection by a spring which forms part of the pintle of the hinge for the case, but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect.

By referenceto Fig. 5, it will be seen that when the cover is closed, the interior of the case is smooth and free from projections which might engage with the glasses and thereby interfere with the closing of the case, or which might interfere with the usual lining, not shown.

Claims.

1. In an eye-glass case or holder, in com bination, a body portion, a cover therefor, a wire pintle pivotally connecting said cover to said body portion, a cam attached to said cover and engaging said pintle intermediate its ends, and a fixed projection on the body portion cooperating with said earn to force the intermediate portion of said pintle out of axial alinement with its ends when said cover is in its open position, for the purpose specified. a

2. In an eyeglass case or holder, in combination, a body portion, a cover therefor, a

cam on one of said parts, and a fixed projection on the other of said parts cooperating with. said cam, a spring pintle pivotally connecting said cover to said body portion and having a portion of it intermediate its ends forced out of axial alinement by the cooperate action of said cam and projection when said cover is in its open position, for the purpose specified.

3. In an eye-glass case or holder, in combination, a body portion, a cover therefor, a cam on one of said parts, and a fixed projection on the other of said parts cooperating with said cam, and a spring to keep said cam in operative engagement with said projection said cam being shaped to relieve the said spring from pressure when the said cover is substantially in its closed position,

substantially as described. I

4. In an eye-glass case or holder, in combination, a body portion, a cover therefor, a spring wire hinge pintle connecting said parts and lying in the axial line of the hinge when the cover is closed and exerting a minimum pressure on said parts, and means cooperating with said spring wire to force a portion of it intermediate its ends out of said axial line when the cover is being opened, said means being substantially inoperative upon the spring wire in the closed position of the cover.

In testimony whereof, I have'signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABBOTT L. MARIN-EB.

Witnesses J As. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.- 

